The Gurus of Hastinapur - Part 33

Meanwhile outside the Vyugha, Bhima was fighting with Almabusa, a Rakshasa, who practiced magic. It was Alambusa with his magical powers and Bhima with his brute force.

Alambusa looked angrily at Bhima. 'You killed my brother Vaka in the forest! I was not there at that time! But today you shall face the Vaka's revenge! I am going to kill....'

Alambusa never completed the words because Bhima had already started fighting. The first of arrow of Bhima nicked Alambusa on the shoulder. Alambusa pulled out the arrow from his shoulder angrily and using his magical powers, he turned invisible. Turning invisible, Alambusa started firing arrows on Bhima.

Bhima was flummoxed for all of two seconds, but then he did not care. Subconsciously, he started firing his arrows at the places by calculating the trajectory of the arrows being fired on him. And this proved more damaging for the Kaurava army than anything else Bhima did. The arrows that Bhima fired not only did they hurt Alabusa, but when Alambusa vanished from that place, it hit the other Kaurava soldiers, killing countless soldiers on the spot.

Alambusa tried fighting back but he was unsuccessful at fighting against the Pandava and eventually fled from Bhima.

But then Alambusa did not run from the battle. He ran to another side of the battle and as his luck would have it, there he met Gatothgaja, the son of Bhima.

Like Alambusa, Gatothgaja was well versed in magic. The illusions that the two warriors created in the battlefield was breathtaking....

Alambusa stopping the magic tricks, and already angry with the defeat in the hands of Bhima engaged Gatothgaja in a physical battle.

Almabusa all but destroyed Gatothgaja as the Pandavas watched.

'Save him!' the Pandava soldiers shouted as they rushed towards Alambusa. Alambusa got flustered as he saw all the Pandava soldiers rushing at him.

The moment of hesitation was what Gatothgaja needed and he counter-attacked Alambusa. And Gatothgaja came back with a vengeance. Gagatohgaja fought with Alambusa so well that the Pandava soldiers almost applauded as Alambusa,unable to cope up with Gatothgaja, ran away from the battle for the second time.....

Again in another part of the battlefield, Drona was fighting the battle as if he was going to destroy all the Panchalas today. Satyaki was the only person who was able to contain the teacher and he successfully was rallying the troops to counter the attack of the teacher. Yudhishtara watched the fight with bated breath and thought that Satyaki was going to turn this fight in their favour.

That was when Yudhishtara was shocked out of his wits when he heard the Panchajanya sounding loudly from the field.

The Panchajanya was so loud that it drowned out the sound made by the sound of the Gandiva.

A gnawing fear developed in Yudhishtara's heart as he tried to search for Krishna's chariot inthe battlefield. But there was so much smoke and fire that nothing was visible anywhere. The fear grew into terror as Yudhishtara wondered whether the Dark Lord was calling for help because something had happened to Arjuna...

Without thinking, Yudhishtara drove his horses towards Satyaki.

He found Satyaki who had just pushed the teacher's forces back.

'Arjuna needs your help!' Yudhishtara blurted without thinking.

Satyaki could scarcely even understand what Yudhishtara was saying.

'What?' Satyaki was sure he had heard something wrong.

'I can heard Krishna's Panchajanya, but I do not hear the Gandiva! I think...' Yudhishtara chocked as he swallowed. 'I think something terrible must have happened to Arjuna and Krishna is asking for our help! Please go...Please go and save my brother!' Yudhishtara pleaded.

Satyaki was looking at Yudhishtara like he had lost his mind as Yudhishtara continued rapidly. 'Arjuna told me that you were one of the best in battle! And I also know how much Arjuna means to you! He is like your brother, your friend and your mentor! Please go and protect him!' Yudhishtara pleaded.

Satyaki was honestly lost for words. 'He is Arjuna!' Satyaki finally spluttered. 'He does not need out help! And he has Krishna with him!' Satyaki said. 'Nothing will happen to the two of them, my king!' Satyaki watched Yudhishtara was steadily looking depressed. 'Besides, today in the morning, Arjuna called me aside and told me that I am not to leave your side today! Drona has promised to take you captive! If I leave you alone with Drona in a form like this, Arjuna will be very angry with me! Please king, do not ask this from me!'

'I have Bhima and Gatothgaja with me!' Yudhishtara said rapidly. 'Besides the Panchalas and Nakula and Sahadeva would not let anything happen to me! Please!' Yudhishtara said with tears in his eyes. 'My heart is restless and I will not know peace, until I know what has happened to my brother! Please Satyaki! I am your king! Do not say no to me!' Yudhishtara saw Dhrishtadhyumna coming in sight before him. 'This fire born prince, is born to kill Drona! As long as I have him near me, nothing can happen to me! Please Satyaki! Please!'

Satyaki sighed. He realized that nothing he said would make the slightest difference to Yudhishtara. He looked at the king realizing that if he went inside the Vyugha after Arjuna, Arjuna was going to be very angry with him for leaving Yudhishtara at the mercy of Drona and if he did not go, the Pandavas would think that he was a coward and that he was unwilling to get inside the Vyugha.

Satyaki unhappily nodded as he looked at Yudhishtara.

Yudhishtara beamed happily. He turned to his soldiers. 'Have Satyaki's chariot filled with five times the number of weapons that he has right now!'

The weapons were filled and after the other preparations, Satyaki was off inside the Vyugha.....